Belém, Brazil | Thursday 13th November 2025
With the global climate conference in full swing, campaigners from Action Speaks Louder, Stand.earth and Fashion Revolution respond to UN Fashion Charter’s policy advocacy, and call for concrete action and a bold fashion climate agenda at COP30.
The UN’s Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action (‘Fashion Charter’) recently released a public communiqué from its 70+ brand and manufacturer signatories, calling for policymakers to accelerate a just clean energy transition at COP30. The letter advocates for more support from governments to increase renewable energy access, strengthen reporting requirements, scale up climate finance, and advance climate adaptation in order to help signatories meet targets to phase out coal and reduce emissions.
In the seven years since the Fashion Charter was launched at COP24, the fashion sector’s emissions have skyrocketed. According to Apparel Impact Institute, fashion’s footprint has reached an all-time high of 944 million tonnes of CO2e, and assuming business-as-usual growth, emissions are projected to reach over 1.24 billion tonnes of CO2e in 2030. Clearly, brands are way off track: to stay within a 1.5°C trajectory, they must reduce emissions at least 45% by 2030. Signatories have emphasised that a key reason for this lack of progress is the need for mandatory reporting standards, accessible global financing mechanisms, and policy support for renewable energy and electrification solutions.
We commend the Fashion Charter’s mobilisation of key industry leaders towards a united call for stronger climate action. In particular, demonstrating support for an increased share of renewables in electricity grids and frameworks for corporate clean energy procurement and electrification could encourage governments of sourcing countries to enact these vital changes to attract continued export business.
However, these general global points may be unlikely to lead to specific policy outcomes unless signatories also work on more targeted advocacy addressing individual decision makers. Strategic, location-specific advocacy efforts by fashion brands can help deliver transformative change, such as H&M, Nike and other brands’ advocacy for Vietnam’s recently enacted DPPA (direct power purchase agreement) policy, which will enable manufacturers to directly source renewable energy to power their factories. According to Fashion Revolution’s What Fuels Fashion report, just 7% of major brands disclose renewable energy advocacy efforts, showing a clear gap in corporate action.
While recognising the importance of climate adaptation for worker wellbeing and stating an intention to share ‘updated language and guidance’, the letter falls short of explicitly committing signatories to increased ambition to meet the increased stakes of the climate crisis. Rapidly rising temperatures are already impacting workers’ health, safety and well-being. Meanwhile, workers are completely absent from most brands’ climate plans. According to Stand.earth’s Fossil Free Fashion Scorecard, none of the major brands assessed provide clear evidence of climate support for workers. The fashion industry is valued at $1.77 trillion and many of the Charter’s signatories have well over $10 billion in revenue. Clearly, brands can afford to invest in protecting the most vulnerable people in their supply chain, whose work their profits depend upon. The Fashion Charter must take decisive action to ensure that worker voices are heard, and require signatories to share specific plans to fund climate adaptation policies within their global supply chains.
Finally, while advocating for stronger poilicies, brands must also act by funding and enabling suppliers to take advantage of decarbonisation solutions that are already widely commercially available. For example, industrial heat pumps can lead to significant emissions reductions compared with fossil fuels. While the Fashion Charter has committed brands to phasing out coal from their supply chains, there is a clear need to specify the importance of investing in these clean alternatives and avoid false solutions. This reduces the risk of suppliers spending limited resources on harmful stop-gap solutions such as unsustainable biomass.
Key recommendations for fashion industry leaders at COP30:
- Targeted Policy Advocacy for Specific Geographies
Fashion Charter signatories have the power and influence to communicate directly with policymakers in specific countries in order to translate the asks of this open letter into concrete policy decisions. This applies to major sourcing countries, such as China, Bangladesh and Vietnam, as well as consumer hubs like the EU and US. Transparent, disaggregated reporting on these policy advocacy efforts should be shared openly at Fashion Charter level. - Strengthened Fashion Charter Commitments
The Fashion Charter should build on existing commitments, such as requiring brands to develop regionally-specific just transition plans alongside workers and civil society, and provide funding for climate adaptation needs identified by those most affected. Signatories should also further develop more specific fossil fuel phaseout targets, with the electrification of thermal processes as the clear alternative to coal. - Brand Investment in Decarbonisation and Climate Adaptation
Those with the deepest pockets—multi-billion dollar brands—must pay their fair share for climate action. Solutions for supply chain decarbonisation and climate adaptation are available now, and any brand waiting for perfect policy conditions to start investing is doomed to fail. The Fashion Charter has an opportunity to mobilise brands to invest in best practice proven solutions, such as industrial heat pumps.
At COP30, the world will be watching for strong agreements and finance for phasing out fossil fuels and protecting nature. As a contributor to 2% of global emissions, the fashion industry has a clear responsibility to collaborate for a clean energy transition, and embrace this strategic opportunity for resilience and transformation.
“Even as political headwinds challenge sustainability narratives, fashion brands must double down on climate policy advocacy efforts and invest meaningfully in both climate mitigation and adaptation. Without this, fashion’s future business is at risk, alongside the livelihoods of millions of workers in the supply chain.” Ruth MacGilp, Fashion Campaign Manager at Action Speaks Louder
“This COP , key fashion industry issues like climate adaptation, the needs of communities, and a worker-led just transition are at the forefront of the climate negotiations, and all brands must step up. The UN Fashion Charter’s communique shows that the industry knows what the solutions are; brands must pay their fair share by funding and enabling climate action in the supply chain, report transparently on progress, and actively include workers in their transition plans.” Rachel Kitchin, Senior Corporate Climate Campaigner, Fashion & IT at Stand.earth
“Fashion is not a bystander in the climate crisis. It is a global power that shapes economies, culture, consumption and the livelihoods of the people who make our clothes. Leveraging that influence to drive a just, clean energy transition is long overdue and an opportunity the industry cannot ignore, or it risks perpetuating the injustices at the heart of the crisis.” Liv Simpliciano, Head of Research & Policy at Fashion Revolution
Notes to editors
Action Speaks Louder is a not-for-profit organisation galvanizing people around the world to hold major corporations to account for their impacts on the climate crisis. Action Speaks Louder strategically pushes companies to live up to their climate commitments as part of the movement to transform the global energy landscape.
Stand.earth is a not-for-profit organisation that challenges corporations and governments to treat people and the environment with respect. Stand.earth runs justice-led campaigns to defend and protect forests and oceans, advance the transition to renewable energy, and end fossil fuel production and consumption. Download the 2025 Fossil Free Fashion scorecard.
Fashion Revolution is a not-for-profit organisation that mobilises citizens, brands and policymakers through research, education and advocacy towards a global fashion industry that conserves and restores the environment and values people over growth and profit. Download the 2025 What Fuels Fashion report.
For more information or interviews, please contact ruth@speakslouder.org.